Free as the Wind
by Laura of Maychoria
Summary: Jae is a street kid who only wants to escape the mistreatment he endures daily. Caeben and Arra are pilots who want to get their ship fixed so they can get off this rock. And Rebel slicer Kyell Tallen is looking for someone . . . . Complete
1. Part 1: The streets

_Title:_ Free as the Wind  
_Author:_ Laura of Maychoria  
_Genre:_ Action/Adventure  
_Timeframe: _Post ESB  
_Summary:_ A pilot, his Wookiee partner, a Rebel slicer and an unusual street vrelt band together to escape Crenellia and the Imps pursuing them.  
_Author's Note:_ While my hands are hurting this badly, I'll post some of my old stuff. This is my first ever fanfiction, written when I was fifteen or so. I had just discovered fanfic and was extremely excited that I could write in the SW universe and people would actually read it! This was before TPM came out, and so I created my own characters and put them in a typical Rebels-versus-the-Imps-type situation. Since then I've touched it up a bit and added a couple scenes, but this is basically the original story. I'll post every couple of days until it's all up--it's not a long story. Let me know what you think! I have other stuff with these characters, too.

**Part 1: The Streets**

The _Sylel Wind_ limped toward the Crenellian port-city, Rismyne, at less than half power.

"This is it," her pilot, Caeben Matock, told his companion disgustedly. "We've got find a mechanic to patch the _Wind_ together."

His copilot, Arramylian, wurfled agreement. Too many shortsighted upgrades had left their lovely little freighter falling apart internally, though she still appeared to be in shipdock-new condition.

_"Sylel Wind,_ you are cleared for landing in docking pit 23," the space flight controller announced over the com.

"Copy, control," Caeben replied, following her coordinates.

Once he had set the _Wind_ down as smoothly as possible in her shaken condition, the young pilot turned to his Wookiee friend. "Arra, let's find a cantina and a drink before we go looking for a good fixer."

Arra grumbled an assent. He rubbed his brown and black streaked heard where it had struck the ceiling in the bumpy landing. After this hair-raising ride, he needed a stiff drink.

X

"Thirteen!" Kaltyk yelled, spittle spraying on Jae's averted face. "Thirteen credits! That's all?"

Jae Tallen nodded mutely, wishing he could flee the gang leader. He knew all too well what was coming next. But his arms were pinned by two of Kaltyk's cronies, and he could not move.

"Hold him down," Kaltyk ordered. He had already removed his belt, and he flourished it in Jae's face with a smirk. "This'll be a good one."

The thirteen-year-old was shoved face down to the filthy alley pavement, cheek pressing cold, rough stone, sewer-stink in his nostrils. He closed his eyes as Kaltyk's buddies bore down with their weight to hold him there, and one of them pulled Jae's ragged tunic up, baring his back. Familiar despair flooded him, slight frame tensing in anticipation of the first blow. This daily ritual was growing more and more difficult to endure.

Kaltyk's belt lashed down, adding another stripe to the welts already covering Jae's back. The boy jerked, bit his lip, willed himself not to satisfy them with a scream. Still his fingers scrabbled convulsively at the pavement, as if pathetically trying to dig an escape. Stars above, Kaltyk was strong.

He was nearly twenty, strong enough to subdue any of the homeless youths in his territory. Punishing Jae for his failure to procure the daily of quota of thirty credits would not draw a drop of sweat from his greasy face. But it was beyond Kaltyk's power to make the boy steal or beg.

The beating went on for what seemed hours to the young Crenellian taking it. At last Kaltyk replaced his belt and Jae was dragged to his feet to face his tormentor again. Kaltyk's eyes flashed with rage, his lip curling, at the hard-set determination in Jae's blue eyes.

"Still thinking of running away? Don't forget this." He pointed at the stun bracelet on Jae's left wrist. The device was programmed to stun the wearer when carried beyond a certain point, and effectively kept Jae under Kaltyk's thumb. "You can't take it off without the code, and only I have that. Your fancy little tools are worthless."

Jae didn't flinch. The boy already knew that his efforts at removing the bracelet only activated it. And always when he woke from the stun bolt, Kaltyk was standing over him, belt in hand.

But his tools were not worthless. Jae could fix anything set before him, and that preternatural talent was all that kept him alive. He earned credits repairing whatever he could—his only source of income. He would rather die than steal, and begging never seemed to work for him, especially not in this neighborhood. Perhaps his eyes were too bright and capable, despite ever-present bruises, ragged garments, and ghost-like skinniness. He'd much rather live on his skill, anyway.

Kaltyk snorted. "Let him go."

He and his gang vanished into the night.

Jae sighed and set out in search of a job for the tiny tool kit strapped to his hip.


	2. Rescue of a sort

The next night Caeben and Arra sat in The Rainbow's End, the cantina they'd found when first arriving in Rismyne. It was possibly the most badly misnamed establishment either life-long traveler had ever encountered, which was saying something.

Each morosely nursed a drink. Their attempts at finding a mechanic for the right price had been unsuccessful. Caeben was beginning to fear that they were stuck on Crenellia until they could earn enough credits for repairs.

Arra growled a question, and Caeben looked up. "What time is it?" he repeated absently.

The young Sylelian glanced at his wrist chrono, stared harder, shook it, tapped it, pounded it on the table, and shook his head. "Ah, Sithspawn—my chrono is broken."

Arra rumbled a comment.

"Yeah, my eyes are telling me it's time for bed, too. What do you say we head back to the _Wind?"_

Outside the cantina, night was coming on. Caeben took off his chrono and knocked his knuckle against it, then shook his head again. Arra growled for him to hurry.

"Excuse me, sir. Do you need your chrono fixed?"

Caeben looked up, then down, and found himself staring into the blue eyes of a street boy. Arra woofed a short bark of surprise.

"What?" Caeben managed.

The boy's eyes were intelligent and straightforward. With a thin hand he pushed over-long dark brown hair away from his face, revealing a bruise on his cheek. Arra saw other dark bruises and livid welts through the rends in his tunic.

"I can repair your chrono." The urchin indicated the tool kit on his hip. "Five credits."

It was less than a shop would charge, so the pilot handed the chrono over. The boy took out a small multitool, opened the device, glanced at the inner workings, then set to work. Within a minute he closed the chrono and handed it back.

Caeben looked it over, found it to be in perfect working condition, and reached into his credit pouch. The waif's skill and speed had left him speechless.

Arra looked the boy over with discerning eyes. His uncannily correct judgment of character had often served him well where he existed at the edges of the law, and he saw here a street vrelt who refused to act like one.

The boy seemed at ease in his surroundings, showing that he'd survived the streets for some time. But he hadn't begged and he hadn't tried to steal Caeben's credit pouch, which Arra knew by painful experience was very easy for most street boys. He had repaired the chrono with a competence and swiftness beyond the best of the trade, and he had asked less than a reasonable price.

Arra also saw that the young alley waif was swaying with hunger or pain, his thin body covered with welts and bruises. The Wookiee's compassion was aroused.

Caeben handed over twice the asked price. "What's your name, kid?"

The boy looked up, startled. "Jae Tallen, sir." He glanced at the credit chit in his hand, then tried to give it back. "I'm sorry. I don't have enough change."

"Keep it, Jae. You look like you could use a good meal."

The youngster nodded slowly.

Arra turned to his human friend. Ask him what else he can repair, he said in the barking, growling Wookiee tongue.

"Anything," Jae said at once, startling them both. "Data-logs, comlinks, electronic journals, droids, speeders, comps, even hyperdrives. Anything made of metal and wire, I can fix. I don't really know how, but it's always been that way for me—if I can see it, I can repair it."

And you understand Wookiee, Arra rumbled in surprise.

"Yes. Also Sullustan, Rodian, gutter argot, a few others."

Caeben looked at the boy with growing interest. "Ever fixed a ship?"

"No . . . but I think I could, if I was asked to."

"Would you be willing to work for us on our ship, the _Sylel Wind?_ We need a mechanic."

Jae's face suddenly fell. "I can't go beyond Tairan Street." Pointing at the device on his wrist they had taken for a chrono, he explained its function.

You are a slave? Arra growled, anger in his soft brown eyes.

The waif's shoulders slumped. "I wasn't until Kaltyk took over this street, about a year ago. I got along pretty well until then, working in a repair shop and sleeping on the street. But that big vrelt and his gang demanded 'protection' fees of all the shop owners, and made my employer let me go so I could work for Kaltyk, begging and picking pockets." He glared at the stun bracelet. "This keeps me from leaving, but I can't beg and I won't steal." Jae glanced at Arra, hard determination in his eyes. "I just won't. Kaltyk beats me every day because I never reach my quota, and I'm always hungry, but I _will not_ steal. I just won't. And that's that."

Caeben had lost interest the moment he learned Jae could not go with them to work on the _Wind._ "Come on, Arra. Let's get back and get some sleep."

Arra did not like leaving the boy; he had grown firmly attached to him even in such a short time. He asked Jae why he could not take off the stun device. Surely he had the tools and mechanical ability.

"Attempts at removal activate it," Jae wearily replied, leaning against the wall. His brief anger seemed to have left him more drained and weak than ever, his trembling limbs unable to support his slender weight. "And then the tracking function kicks in. Every time I've tried, when I woke Kaltyk was there and beat me again."

"Come on, Arra, let's get back to the _Wind."_

The Wookiee reluctantly let himself be dragged down the street, frequently glancing back. Jae had sunk down to the pavement and hidden his face in his arms, despondently leaning on his knees. He looked very small and vulnerable, alone and lonely.

At the end of the street Arra turned, wanting a last glimpse of the unusual street boy. At the sight he grabbed Caeben.

"What—?" The young pilot swung around. "Oh."

A group of large youths had converged on Jae's position. He was standing, slight figure dwarfed by the youths, pinned between two of them and facing the leader. The leader fingered a few credits in his hand, among them the one Caeben had given the boy.

Even from down the street they could hear the young gang leader. "Huh, fourteen credits. Better than yesterday, but still not quite thirty. You aren't holding out on me, are ya? You know I'll kill you slowly if you try that, right?"

Arra growled and started heading back, hands moving to the blasters he kept on both hips. Caeben followed. He was cursing softly, but Arra's affair was his affair, no matter how foolhardy. "Arra, this isn't our fight. Leave it alone, will you?"

Arramylian growled the negative and asked whose fight it was then as he slipped into cover behind a fruit stand. Caeben followed. They silently traveled toward Kaltyk's harsh voice. "Okay, comrades, hold him down."

Arra barely suppressed a roar of rage as he heard the sounds of leather striking flesh, sharp cracks that seemed to bruise the air. They went on for more than a minute—a seemingly eternal minute—as the crew of the _Wind_ sneaked steadily nearer. Caeben thought he heard a small, strangled whimper in Jae's voice, but it was so quiet, he wasn't sure.

At last Arra burst out of cover with a Wookiee roar, Caeben at his heels. At the sight of the enraged two-meter creature, all muscle and fur, the youths scattered—all except Kaltyk, whom Caeben grabbed in a choke hold. The Sylelian's blaster muzzle dug through the young tyrant's spiky green hair and into his temple.

"Drop the belt," Caeben growled, his slow-coming compassionate ire roused by the sight of blood on Jae's back. The boy still lay on the wet pavement, momentarily too weak and ill to rise.

Kaltyk muttered a strangled curse as he dropped the bloody strip of reptiloid leather. Caeben's arm around his throat made breathing a task that required effort and concentration.

Arra knelt by Jae and helped him sit up, his anger gone as quickly as it had come. He wurfled a concerned inquiry, gently drawing the boy's tunic back over his abused body.

"I'll be all right," Jae said shakily, gripping Arra's hairy arm for support. He glanced warily at Kaltyk. "At least until you leave. He'll hurt me worse than ever tomorrow."

"You're coming with us," Caeben said, making up his mind. Arra barked his thanks and gently ruffled Jae's dark hair.

"He can't!" Kaltyk blustered despite his constricted throat. "Only I know the code!"

The boy's grip tightened on Arra's arm, and the Wookiee growled, protectively leaning a little closer to the shaking youngster.

"So tell it to us." Caeben's voice was dangerously quiet, and he tightened his hold on the gang leader's throat.

"No!"

The blaster muzzle dug harder into Kaltyk's scalp. "You don't have a choice, vrelt."

Kaltyk swallowed in sudden nervousness. Being a coward, he didn't have an alternative. "All right," he said through gritted teeth. "Beneath that protrusion is a button. Push it."

Jae pressed the button Kaltyk pointed at and a panel flipped open, revealing a tiny numpad.

"Enter 35562," Kaltyk said, resentment seething in his eyes and voice. "The stun bracelet will open into two halves."

The boy entered the code with a small, trembling hand, and the device fell off his arm. Jae gasped in relief and leaned against Arra's furry side, barely able to believe his good fortune. "I'm free," he whispered.

"Free as the wind." Caeben grinned. He released Kaltyk, keeping his blaster trained on the belligerent youth. "Get outta here." The young man fled, fury in his hard features.

Arra stood and helped Jae to his feet, leaving the stun bracelet where it had fallen. Jae suppressed a groan. His entire body ached fiercely and relentlessly, and his stomach was tied in several anguished knots.

"Time to get back to the _Wind,"_ Caeben said with satisfaction, replacing his blaster in its holster. "We've found our mechanic."

Arra rumbled a worried question.

"Yes, I can walk," Jae said faintly.

They had made it two blocks when Jae collapsed but was caught before hitting the ground by Arra's strong hands. Back on his feet for the moment, he stood swaying, blue eyes clouded and dazed.

"Kid, are you all right?" For once, Caeben was pulled out of his self-contained shell. Genuine concern softened his features.

Jae's arms wrapped around his torso, and he bent almost double in pain. "I—I can't go on," he murmured slowly, head spinning.

Arra growled and scooped the shaking urchin up in his arms. Quickly, to the _Wind,_ he said. We have med facilities there.

Caeben didn't argue, but swiftly led the way.

The lights and shadows of the Rismyne streets whirled around Jae, and he leaned on Arra's furry warmth and closed his eyes. Pain and hunger faded into black, leaving one thought.

_I am free._


	3. Kyell Tallen enters Rismyne

Kyell Tallen stepped into Tairan Street, glancing over the few beings who moved about under the lamp-lit night. All law-abiding citizens of Rismyne had gone home by now, leaving the night to the rogues, thieves, and alley waifs.

_Not to mention Rebels,_ Kyell thought with an inward grin as he kicked at a piece of machinery lying on the ground. Suddenly he stopped and picked it up. _Is this what I think it is?_

A stun bracelet. Kyell shuddered and dumped it in a nearby recycler unit. Slavery was yet another reason he had joined the Rebellion.

Besides the fact, of course, that the Empire had killed his family and confiscated their property just because Governor Shelpion was bored and greedy. Kyell had been at the Imperial academy on Carida when he had heard the news.

His family had been investigated for "anti-government sympathies," which was an enormous lie in itself. Kyell's father had protested the stormtroopers' rough treatment of his wife, and the entire Tallen family was slain for "resisting justice." Enraged and grief-stricken, Kyell joined the Rebellion on his next leave and began working as a slicer, a trade he excelled in.

_Never thought I'd be coming back,_ the twenty-two-year-old thought, glancing at the familiar Crenellian night sky. A cool breeze ruffled his sandy brown hair.

While slicing in Imperial records, Kyell had found evidence that his brother, at the time of the debacle eight years old, had fled into the streets and had never been found. Five years after the tragedy, Kyell stared at the data he'd accidentally stumbled across, mind spinning in shock and sudden hope. _Could Jae have survived on the street for this long?_

Five years was an eternity on the harsh streets of Rismyne. Kyell had read the statistics. Most poor folks who ended up homeless here died within three or four months. A few made it for a year or two. But five years . . .

Still, it was worth a hard search. Kyell had believed his entire family to be dead. The slimmest chance that Jae had survived was enough to have him begging leave from his commander and searching the streets of Rismyne for his brother with a microcular if necessary.

Kyell stepped into The Rainbow's End. He was tired, footsore, and thirsty—a little break wouldn't harm his chances of finding Jae, he hoped.

Just inside the door he paused, blue eyes flashing. A youth with spiky green hair stood in front of the portly owner, hand out, palm up. Several other menacing-looking malcontents backed him up.

"Come on, old man. Spit out the credits. I'm in a bad mood."

"But Kaltyk, I already paid you this week," the graying man said, swallowing. "I don't have enough right now!"

"Oh, too bad," Kaltyk said without a trace of regret, grabbing the man's collar. "I'm gonna have to teach you a lesson, just like I do the street brats." The youth's fist waved before the cantina owner's eyes.

"Hold it," Kyell said, stepping toward them. "That's no way to treat an elder. Every Crenellian knows that."

Kaltyk released his intended victim and spun around to face his new opponent. "Who do you think you are?" The cantina owner slunk out of sight.

"A Crenellian."

Kaltyk's buddies surrounded Kyell smoothly and efficiently.

"Yeah, well soon you're going to be dead, friend Crenellian." Kaltyk's voice was smug and content. "Go on, comrades. Let's teach him not to mess with the Dragons."

Kyell spun before they struck, avoiding two wildly swinging fists, ducking and rolling against their legs to break this deadly circle. One gang member fell with a surprised shout, and Kyell bounced to his feet, his face only inches from Kaltyk's.

Kaltyk jerked back, but not fast enough. Kyell's fist found the gang leader's jaw with a satisfying crunch. He grinned ferally, content with this one blow, whatever happened next. This was a man, only a little younger than Kyell, and the Rebel knew without further research that Kaltyk deserved a thorough thrashing. Kyell hoped he would be the one to give it to him.

Somebody grabbed Kyell's arm and spun him around, shoving him onto a table which broke under the blow, dumping them both on the floor. Kyell extended his arm and kicked upward, catching the teen in his kidneys, but the grip on his arm did not slacken enough for him to break free. He bounded up and continued fighting despite the encumbrance, using his greater experience, strength, and training as well as he could. Then someone else grabbed his other arm, and two others began to belabor him.

Kyell twisted, kicking out, trying to use the leverage of one against the other, but they had done this too often. Kyell's commando training had rusted—he'd spent too much time sitting in front of comps, lately. Now they were going to give him the beating he had wished for Kaltyk.

Before they could finish the lesson, four stormtroopers appeared in The Rainbow's End, summoned by the owner. Kyell had never thought he'd be glad to see that repulsive white armor, but he was now. The hands on his arms loosened suddenly, dropping the young Rebel to the floor.

"What's going on here?"

Kyell dragged himself to his feet, bleeding in three or four places and nursing a bruised rib. "These vrelts were threatening the owner of this cantina."

"Lies!" Kaltyk blasted. "This scum was disturbing the peace, and we law-abiding citizens wouldn't stand for it. We found him for the sake of the Empire, though he struggled like a dust-adder and hurt some of us."

That, at least was true. Several of the teens were fingering a bloody nose, black eye, or sore rib. One was doubled up on the floor, gasping like a crell-fish out of water. But Kaltyk had stayed out of the fight, even after Kyell had punched him. He'd let his cronies battle the lone Rebel, preferring not to risk further injury to himself.

"Is this true?" the lieutenant stormtrooper asked the cantina keeper.

The man glanced at Kaltyk. The youth's hard eyes told him that if he stuck with the truth, he would pay dearly. He caught the message and nodded miserably.

The lieutenant turned back to the stunned Kyell Tallen. "You are under arrest on charges of disturbing the peace."

Kyell swallowed. So much for his search for Jae, and most likely for him and his Rebel friends, as well.

X

Governor Mynan Shelpion fingered the gold knob of his black crystallite cane, the ruby in the ring on his puffy hand flashing in the bright light of his office. "And that's all you've been able to get out of the prisoner?"

"Yes, sir. Only his name, Kyell Tallen, and his claimed reason for coming to Rismyne. Personally, I think that talk about looking for his brother is garbage. I was on the squad that suppressed the Tallen family. No one got away except this Kyell, whom we later heard skipped out on leave from the Carida academy. His instructor there was sure he had joined the Rebellion."

Shelpion tossed the datapad he'd been studying down on his desk. "As I remember it, an eight-year-old boy ran out the door and was never found."

Captain Anlessic snorted. "No child could survive the night streets of Rismyne."

"Still, conduct a search. Our having the boy would have profound effects on the prisoner. Has Tallen admitted to Rebel involvement yet?"

"No, sir. He has a unique ability to resist interrogation."

Shelpion looked up at him. "Keep a double-sharp lookout for Rebels, Captain. Arrest even slightly suspicious characters: Bothans, Calamari, Wookiees, you know the type."

Anlessic nodded. "Yes, sir."


	4. Waking up and going back to sleep

Yay, a review! Thank you, Bookworm! I wasn't going to bother finishing posting this, since no one was reading it, but I'll go ahead and get it all up now.

X

Consciousness returned, and with it pain. A moan escaped Jae before he could stop it, and he shifted slightly where he lay. Kaltyk's beating had been thorough and biting, though cut off. Familiar as the boy was with the pain of welts old and new, it was difficult to ignore, especially in the first moments of waking on the street, lying on rough stone.

But he was not lying on the pavement. He was in a warm bunk, covered with a soft blanket, his cheek on a pillow. A gentle paw-hand was touching the other one.

The boy opened his eyes, surprised to find a furry brown face near his own. Suddenly memory returned.

"Arra?" he whispered cautiously.

The Wookiee wurfled in a relieved tone, stroking the boy's cheek. It had been a little difficult but worth it for the huge being to get on eye level with his patient.

"Where—?" Jae asked. "How long have I been asleep?" At his companion's response he blinked. "Twelve hours? Stars above us."

He started to shove himself up, but Arra laid a hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him back down. Rest, Jae. Your body is far from recovered yet. How do you feel?

The boy blinked slowly, considering it. "I've felt better." He paused, the beginnings of a smile trying to emerge on his face, rusted and slowed from disuse. "But I've felt worse, too. You've been taking care of me while I slept, haven't you?" He glanced down at himself, his body carefully laid on his less-bruised side to avoid hurting him further. "This is not my tunic," he said decisively. "Much too big, new, and clean. The pilot's? He didn't strike me as the type for charity."

Caeben does not mind lending you his garments, Arra said impatiently. You have been mistreated for a long time, little one. It is our pleasure to treat you as you deserve now. There is no need for you to question our behavior.

Jae looked at him bleakly. "I can't help it," he whispered. "It's just . . . so strange."

Arra's dark eyes softened. He caressed the boy's hair. You have been surrounded by cruelty and darkness for far too long. Relax, little friend. You are safe now. Rest and recover, and soon enough you will be able to help us in return.

Jae sighed, and his eyes slid half-shut, his weary, injured body dragging him back toward sleep again. Arra was right—he was far from recovered. "I'd like that. I want to help."

Arramylian continued to stroke his hair very gently, as if soothing a Wookiee cub. I know you do. It can wait, little one.

Jae blinked. Something nagged at the back of his mind, something strange. "Arra?" he murmured sleepily. "I . . . I'm clean. I can't remember the last time I was clean. And I certainly don't remember washing."

But even as he spoke there came a vague memory: a sensation of wetness, of slumping, barely conscious, against a presence that was warm and solid and soft, something dabbing gently at the dirt and dried blood crusted on his face, his shoulders, his back. The memory ended there, vanished in darkness.

Arra's gentle brown eyes were apologetic. Caeben wouldn't stop complaining, and I had to admit that you did smell rather ripe. And you seemed more comfortable afterward . . . .

Jae chuckled a little, the sound rough and rusty, strange in this small room. How long had it been since he had laughed? He couldn't remember. "It's all right, Arra. I'm not embarrassed. I do feel much more comfortable. It's been such a long time since I felt like a human being, instead of a worthless piece of street trash."

_Worthless_ you never were, Arra said firmly. Don't believe it.

Jae smiled cautiously. It was coming a bit more easily, with practice. Slowly the boy struggled to a sitting position, ignoring Arra's concerned grumbling. "I'm better, Arra, honest. What was wrong with me?"

"Just hunger and malnutrition as far as the medcomp could figure." Caeben appeared in the doorway with a tray of food. The pilot's dark gray eyes twinkled. "How ya feeling, kid?"

The smell of the food hit Jae like a blast from a blaster. "Hungry!"

"Then let's eat."

Caeben did most of the talking during the meal, telling Jae all about their troubles with the _Wind, _the different mechanical problems that would probably take weeks to repair. The boy listened silently, his eyes shining with interest. He ate as much as he could manage, Arra constantly warning him to slow down, or he would be sick. Jae actually wasn't able to pack away all that much, in the end, but Arra rubbed his shoulder comfortingly and said that his stomach had shrunk. He ought to eat lots of little meals for a while, let his body recover gradually.

Still, after the meal Jae felt much stronger. "I want to get to work right away," he said eagerly. "I can't wait to check it out."

Arra vetoed that plan immediately, shooting Caeben a glare. The pilot should have talked about something else, let the boy relax for a few days. Let me tend your wounds again, the Wookiee said firmly, and then you must rest for at least the rest of this day. You are not ready, little one.

Jae sighed, but obediently lay down on his stomach, letting Arra pull up the baggy tunic to reveal the wounds on his back. Caeben turned away, swallowing to keep his lunch down. Jae's entire back, from his neck to his waist, was a mass of swollen welts and bruises, broken skin oozing blood and pus. Nowhere could they see the smallest patch of unharmed skin. The mere sight was raw and painful. Arra had already tended the wounds once, but Caeben couldn't see a difference.

Arra fetched the jar of azhali balm from the shelf on the other side of the med facility and knelt by the bunk. He touched the boy's cheek, apologizing in advance for the pain this was going to cause him. Jae nodded and squeezed his eyes shut, his fist clenching the sheets beside his tense face as he waited.

Arra dipped his fingers into the balm and gently dabbed it over a bleeding welt. Jae gasped and jerked involuntarily, his flesh shrinking away, but then he held himself still, his slight body rigid. Arra continued as quickly and carefully as he could.

Caeben had to step out. He stood in the companionway outside the med facility, aware that his breath was coming in hard, jerking gulps, his fists clenching and unclenching with the rhythm of his heartbeat. How long had the boy said? A year? A year of daily beatings, of starvation and exposure, loneliness and fear? No wonder that he had collapsed in the street. No wonder that dread darkened his eyes when the pilot approached.

Caeben shook his head as if to clear it. It was just one more street kid. How many were in Rismyne, on Crenellia? How many were on Tairan Street, enduring the same treatment? Caeben and Arra couldn't save them all. They were better off just staying as far away as possible. Maybe they should have kept looking for another mechanic, after all.

The pilot shook his head one more time, letting it all flow away, water down his back. None of it had anything to do with him. He went forward, his breath calm, his hands stuck casually in his pockets.

When Arra finished he gently drew the covers over his young friend. Jae's eyes flickered open, and he touched the Wookiee's arm. "Stay?" he whispered. "I'm not going to be able to sleep for a while, now."

Arra nodded and settled down by the bunk, holding Jae's small hand in his large, furry one. I won't leave you, little one.

Jae sighed and turned his face toward Arra, no trace of sleep in his eyes, though he was weary and in pain. "Thank you."

They were quiet awhile. Arramylian softly crooned a wordless Wookiee lullaby, the deep notes resonating in his huge chest. They rose and fell gently and smoothly in the tiny room, as if to cradle the wounded child in friendly arms. Jae blinked slowly, his body still, though his mind was not at rest.

"How did you meet Caeben Matock?" he asked after a time.

Cantina brawl, Arra said, snuffling with laughter. I had been keeping an eye on him, liked his looks, scruffy but good deep down, when he was accused of cheating at sabbacc and a free-for-all broke loose. I saved his life, and we took a liking to each other. So we became partners.

"He doesn't seem to like me much."

Arra ruffled the boy's hair comfortingly. That is just Caeben. He is afraid to let anyone come too close. The big Wookiee sighed. As long as I've known him, I've never seen him open up to anyone but me. He keeps himself contained, in a shell.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Jae murmured. "He seems lonely."

Perhaps. It would be only natural. While he was on his first job, working as relief pilot on a large freighter, his family went on vacation—to Alderaan. They were there when the Empire paid its visit.

Jae shuddered. "The Empire destroyed my family as well. Five years ago they killed my family, and Governor Shelpion took over the property. And I was on the streets, alone and homeless."

Arramylian squeezed Jae's shoulder, being careful not to hurt the boy. The Empire stole my future as well. You've heard how they treat the Wookiees, enslaving most of our home planet? I have escaped so far by wandering the galaxy, the stars my home. But they made my mate Woothiramilla a slave, and took her far away. A tear welled up in the Wookiee's eye. Long I searched for her, only to learn that she had been taken to Endor, a planet closed to all but the Empire. Still I hope for a way, but it is not likely.

"I'm sorry, Arra. The Empire has a lot to answer for."

Yes, little one. And the only ones able to make them pay are a motley band of Rebels. Still I hope, I hope.

"Perhaps you should join the Rebellion."

Arra's voice was thoughtful. Perhaps you are right, little one. His tone became brisk. Now is the time for you to sleep, Jae. Soon enough you will be working on this pile of scrap. Now rest.

Jae settled down against his pillow with a hesitant smile, and slowly his eyes shut. Arramylian wuffled approval and caressed his forehead. He waited until the boy's even, relaxed breathing told him that Jae slept deeply, then went forward to see what Caeben was doing.


	5. Part 2: The Sylel Wind

**A/N: **Ack! All of Arra's dialogue is supposed to be in brackets. Ffn keeps deleting them. :grumble, grumble, argh, argh: I'll go back and fix the earlier chapters when I can.

**Part 2: The _Sylel Wind_**

The next morning, after a long sleep and another meal, Jae was eager to get busy doing what he loved—repairing machinery. Arra was not satisfied. He inspected the boy's back and saw that the damage was beginning to heal, then studied him carefully as he walked about the med facility, proving that he was strong enough to get around on his own. At last the Wookiee shook his head, disapproval dark in his gentle eyes.

:He ought to rest for at least another two days: he said to Caeben, who leaned casually against the wall, watching the proceedings with languid gray eyes.

"I'm fine," Jae protested. "I don't want to be a burden."

Caeben shrugged, looking Arra in the eye. "The kid wants to get to work. Why don't we let him? We'll keep an eye on him, make him stop if it's slowing his recovery. But having a project to work on doesn't harm a convalescence—tends to help it, rather. He'll have more fun doing something he enjoys than lying in that bunk, fretting and fussing and wanting to get up."

Jae nodded quickly. "What he said. That's exactly right."

Arra shook his head slowly, watching the boy. :You are not a burden, little one.:

Jae bounced impatiently on his toes. "I know. You've told me that. I just want to fix something."

Arra looked at the floor for a moment, then at Caeben, his eyes dark with warning. :Don't push him, friend Caeben. We have plenty of time to get this scrap heap ready for another flight.:

Caeben grinned, standing straight from the wall. "You have my word, friend Arramylian. I'll watch over him as tenderly as if he were my own little brother."

Jae shook his head in confusion at this, but Caeben reached out a hand in invitation. "C'mon. I'll give you the grand tour."

The grand tour began with a good look at the outside. The Sylelian was proud of his beautiful ship, and he wanted his young fixer to get the full effect.

Jae took it all in: the gently curving lines, the smooth paneling, the almost organic molding. It was a gorgeous ship, more like a work of art than a hunk of metal designed to keep beings alive while hurtling through the empty void of space. The young Crenellian nodded to himself as he examined the _Sylel Wind,_ going over a mental list.

"Well?" Caeben asked, waiting for an exuberant reaction. He never failed to get exclamations of wonder and delight from those who saw his lovely _Wind_. "What do you think, kid?"

"Impressive," Jae said. Then to Caeben's utter shock and wounded pride he added, "You've upgraded everything by at least a hundred percent, haven't you? I didn't know a ship of this configuration could handle that much."

Caeben mumbled something under his breath—most likely a curse. From the hatchway, Arra barked with laughter.

:She _can't _handle that much, friend Tallen: the Wookiee said. :That is why we need you.:

"Please show me the rest of your ship, Captain Matock," Jae said. Only the "captain" saved him from some choice phrases.

Caeben led him on a detailed tour, his proud mood spoiled. The boy continued to stun him at every turn with insightful comments and questions the pilot could not answer. Gradually his sourness gave way to reluctant admiration.

"How do you know all this stuff?" he asked as Jae began marking a datasheet with a list of supplies he would require.

"I don't know." The former waif glanced up with surprise in his blue eyes. "I just _know_ what is right and what is out of place. I notice a cable slightly different from the others, an odd casing—it's mostly intuitive, I think."

Caeben shook his head in wonder. "You must be some kind of genius."

The boy reddened. "N-not really. I missed five years of schooling—can't do more than multiply and divide. But I know machines inside and out."

Arra snorted an amused agreement. He liked Caeben Matock, but he didn't mind seeing him taken down a notch by a youngster half his size. The Wookiee found it extremely entertaining.

Jae held out the datasheet. "Here's the list. I'll need it pretty soon."

Arra took it and prepared to set out. The items weren't all that expensive, but the quantity was a little surprising. Fifty Y2 couplings, sixty-five trans-nirem wires, thirty bren fuses . . . He took his credit pouch and was out the hatchway.

"Captain Matock, will you show me where the tools are?"

Jae went through the tools with several grunts of satisfaction and one yelp of surprise. He raised his head to stare at the pilot. "Where are the hydrospanners?"

"What?" Caeben jerked a startled glance at the boy.

"What happened to your hydrospanners?"

The pilot scratched his dark brown head, trying to remember. "Oh yeah. I lost them in a game of sabbacc."

Jae was slightly scandalized. "You gambled your hydrospanners? Captain Matock."

"I've turned over a new leaf since then, " Caeben defended himself, grimacing slightly in embarrassment.

The boy sighed. "I'll have to send Arra right back out once he returns."

"No, he hates that." Caeben flushed deep pink. "Look—you stay here. I'll go and tell him and help him carry back the stuff."

"All right," Jae said wearily. "I won't be able to do much until I get some hydrospanners. Get a whole set, okay? All the way from two millimeters to ten centimeters."

"Right. We'll be back soon. Just lie down and rest, okay?" Caeben disappeared out the hatchway.

Jae signed again and made his way back to his bunk. Nothing else to do, and he was still very sore, his back complaining at the slightest move. Eventually he drifted off.

X

Unfortunately, Caeben didn't know to which supply shop Arra had gone. He wasted a lot of time looking for him, frequently checking the list of addresses he'd gotten at an info kiosk. At last he went in the door of Jale's Droid and Mechanical Supply Stop and saw Arra over by the credit changer, ready to make his purchases.

Caeben was about to head over to him when he spotted a stormtrooper headed the same way. The pilot froze and ducked behind a display of multitools, hoping he hadn't been spotted. He hadn't done anything technically illegal lately, but you never knew . . . .

But the stormtrooper continued straight as an arrow toward Arra and the credit changer. Caeben stealthily moved a few feet nearer as Arra looked up in surprise into the vacant-looking helmet.

"What is your name and place of origin?" The stormtrooper's tinny voice rang out as the clerk began to warily back away.

:Arramylian, of Kashyyk: the Wookiee replied.

The stormtrooper turned to the clerk in irritation. "Do you have a translator droid?"

"One moment, honored sir," the Crenellian replied squeakily. "I will fetch one."

Caeben sneaked as close as he could without being seen, then hid behind a stand of spare mobilitors. The nervous clerk soon returned, shaking in his boots. "Deepest apologies, sir. I couldn't find one."

The stormtrooper shook his head impatiently. "It doesn't matter." He turned to Arra. "You are under arrest on suspicion of anti-government sympathies."

Caeben was all set to use his blaster when several other troopers emerged from various parts of the store, disarmed Arra, and manacled his hands. The leader reported via comlink.

It was too late. Caeben could only watch as his closest friend and companion was carried away into captivity. He knew he would never see him again.


	6. Despair and planning

Jae jolted awake at the sound of a door closing nearby. He sat up and saw that Caeben had entered the tiny med facility, carrying a bag of electronic supplies.

"You're back! Did you remember the hydrospanners?"

Caeben mutely handed the bag over and sank into a chair. It took but a moment for Jae to find that the pilot had indeed remembered. "Where's Arra, Captain Matock?"

When the Sylelian didn't respond Jae looked up, abruptly pulled out of his world of Y2 couplings and multitools. It was then that he noticed the deep sorrow on Caeben's face, his slumped shoulders and grieving eyes. "Captain Matock, what's wrong?" he asked quietly, suddenly concerned for the man.

"They took him," Caeben said numbly. "The Imps took Arra."

"Why?"

"Suspicion of anti-government sympathies." Caeben looked up, and Jae saw dull horror behind the glittering tears. "They took everything else from me, and now they took Arra."

Jae slipped out of his bunk and stood by Caeben's chair, ignoring the bag of supplies at his feet. "We'll get him back, Captain Matock."

Caeben shook his head. "No one ever comes back. Especially suspected Rebels. And he _does_ have Rebel sympathies, kid. I'll never see him again."

"No, no," Jae insisted, nearly frantic to pull the young man out of his despair. "You will. We'll break him out of there. We will, you'll see! Come on, Matock, snap out of it! I need your help!"

The pilot just sat there, numbly shaking his head. Jae, however, was shaking all over, desperate to get to work. His first task would be to drag Caeben Matock out of his paralysis.

Jae ran along the hallway toward the cockpit, then suddenly stopped and leaned against a wall, overcome by a wave of dizziness and nausea. "This will never do," he muttered, chafing at his weakness. At last he went on more slowly, and finally sat at a dataport in the cockpit.

_Time for some slicing._ He tried to recall everything Kyell had taught him five years ago. It had been right before the older Tallen left for the Imperial academy, only two months before Shelpion destroyed their home and family . . . .

Jae shook off the old painful memories. Three hours later, exhausted by the effort of concentration and remembering past the terrible things he had experienced since the last time he saw Kyell, Jae had written a slicing program and plugged it into the Imperial databanks. For a few moments he watched it progress, but his eyes kept closing of themselves, shutting out the data scrolling on the screen. The boy dragged himself to a more comfortable chair and curled up in it, almost asleep on his feet. Instantly he was lost in dreams of smoke and fire and black alley pavement.

X

Bleep—bleep—bleep . . . The alarm Jae had programmed woke him less than an hour later. "Yes!" he whooped, seeing the words ACCESS GRANTED flashing on the screen, pulling him out of his sleep-induced fog.

Jae sat at the dataport and accessed a quick search program. Five seconds later he had the information he needed.

"Arramylian, cell 5687, level 2D, Imperial garrison of Rismyne . . ." Jae's voice trailed off. Quickly he pulled up a map of the garrison. He studied it with growing excitement. The Empire had made a very bad mistake, and Jae would be sure to exploit it.

Jae glanced over the other information and suddenly turned absolutely white. The garrison was getting overcrowded with beings arrested on suspicion of Rebel leanings, and the Imps was doubling up on cells. This considerably raised the stakes for Jae, for Arra's cell-mate was—

"Kyell," Jae whispered, sitting limply in his chair in shock. His brother was alive . . . .

But what was he doing back on Crenellia? Why had he been arrested? What had he been doing for the past five years? Surely he hadn't been imprisoned all this time? No, he would have been moved to a more secure facility, or executed.

Jae shook his head, shuddering. First thing first: he had to waken Caeben out of that lethargy. He transferred all relevant info to a datapad, then headed back to the med facility.

Caeben had fallen asleep in his chair, but Jae shook him awake. "Captain Matock, you've got to pull yourself together. Here, read this."

The pilot obeyed apathetically at first, but with growing interest. He sat up in the chair, alert and hopeful. Jae grinned delightedly. His plan had worked: Caeben was awake again.

The Sylelian stared up at his companion. "Where did you get this?"

"I sliced into the Imperial databanks."

Caeben gaped at the datapad, then at Jae. "Minions of Xendor, is there anything you _can't_ do?"

Jae blushed and shrugged slightly, then stooped to lift the bag of supplies. "We're going to need an escape ship. I've got work to do."

"Hold it." Caeben stood and placed a hand on the boy's slim arm. Jae turned back. "When was the last time you ate, kid? Can't have you collapsing in the middle of the hyperdrive."

"I've got to get to work, Captain Matock. Time is flying."

"It can wait while you eat a good meal and get a few hours sleep." The pilot could see weariness behind the eagerness in the kid's eyes. "I'd better give you another azhali treatment, too. I'll try to be as gentle as Arra, I promise. And Jae?"

The boy looked up at him curiously.

"It's Caeben, just plain Caeben—not Captain Matock."

The young fixer nodded, smiling slightly.

During the meal Caeben kept studying the datapad, especially the page with the sketchy plan Jae had outlined. He repeatedly glanced at the tired face of the boy sitting across from him, barely believing that the same youngster had done all this.

"Do you really think it will work?" he asked at last.

Jae looked up, nodded absently. "It has to," he murmured. "We have to get them out."

"Them?"

The boy nodded again. "Did you notice the name of Arra's cell-mate?"

Caeben searched for the info, then blinked. "Kyell Tallen." He looked up. "Related?"

"My brother. The only one left of my entire family." The youngster toyed with his fork, his gaze far away. "In payment for my services as a fixer, all I want is passage for both of us to any planet in the galaxy—I don't care which."

"That would only be the first installment, kid. If this works, even if it doesn't considering all the work you'll put in, Arra and I are indebted to you for life."

The boy shook his head. "You saved me from Kaltyk and life on the streets. You owe me nothing." He stretched gingerly, wincing a little, and yawned, blinking sleepily at his plate of nerf-noodle stew.

Caeben shook his head and smiled, going over Jae's plan one more time. It was very risky and highly time-dependent, but feasible. Only one detail . . .

"Jae?" Caeben looked up and saw that the boy had fallen asleep with his head on the table.

Caeben smiled, then lifted the boy and laid him in his bunk, surprised by his lightness. He fetched the azhali balm and quickly treated Jae's back while the boy couldn't feel it, glad to see that the wounds were healing. The bleeding had stopped, the broken skin closed, and the swelling was slowly diminishing. In a few days, hopefully, the last traces of Kaltyk's abuse would be gone.

Caeben carefully tucked the youngster in, pulling the blanket up to his chin, and left for his own quarters. Best to get some rest while they could. They had a busy day ahead.


	7. Hard at work

A very busy day. Caeben woke to find Jae already at work on the hyperdrive, tools clanking and laser torch burning. "Oh good, you're awake," Jae said. "Hand me that red doodad over there, will you?"  
Caeben spent the morning running errands for and handing tools to his young fixer. Once or twice the irony of the situation struck him, eliciting chuckles. Usually it would be the man working on the engines, the boy assisting him, not vice versa.

During the course of the day the boy managed to repair the hyperdrive, navicomp, and deflectors. Then he disappeared into the sublight engines for three hours, emerging only once to use the refresher, then vanishing again.

At last Caeben came to stand by the engine. Only Jae's booted feet were visible outside the bottom. An occasional clunk of a tool or hiss of a laser torch told the man that the boy was still at work.

"Come on, Jae Tallen," the pilot said, nudging one of the boots. "Time for a break."

"Don't distract me," came Jae's muffled voice. "I'm almost done."

Caeben waited five minutes, then nudged the foot again. "Jae, come out."

"Can't you find something to do besides harassing your mechanic?" Jae's voice was exasperated. "I'm in the middle of some dicey connections."

This time the pilot waited a full ten minutes before trying again to rouse the boy from his hydrospanner haze. The young fixer yelped as he jerked and hit his head. At last his face appeared, grimy and lube-streaked, large bags under his irritated blue eyes.

_"Please,_ Captain Matock—leave me alone! I promise I'll come out as soon as I finish this, all right? Just let me work. And don't even _think_ of startling me like that again. I'll probably break my neck or get a concussion."

He burrowed into the sublight engines again while Caeben leaned against a wall and laughed. Several moments later Jae emerged, filthy and triumphant. He fastened the panel on the engine, then looked up at Caeben and managed a fatigued grin.

"Done. They won't need service for at least five thousand parsecs." As Caeben reached down to help him to his feet the boy added, "Thanks for trying to get me to take a break, by the way, but it was pretty useless. It usually takes a small explosion to get my attention when I'm in the middle of a job."

"All right, but your supper is probably cold by now, kid."

"Oh, I don't care. I've been living on scrounged scraps and wistful yearnings for so long, anything seems like a feast."

While Jae used the 'fresher, Caeben warmed the food up again. He vowed inwardly that as soon as they had gotten away from here, to some planet that was safe and friendly, he would show the kid what a real feast was. The poor little guy certainly deserved it. The pilot had the table set by the time the boy appeared once more, damp hair sticking up in strange places, blue eyes wearily content.

During the meal Caeben remembered the question he'd meant to ask the boy. "Jae, your plan is good—except for one detail. I don't want you going in there alone."

The former street vrelt looked up in surprise. "Who did you have in mind then?"

"Me. You stay here and take care of the _Wind."_

Jae shook his head decisively. "Do you know how to hot-wire a gate or deactivate a G2RD guard droid? No, it's my job."

"You can teach me how. Look, kid, not so long ago you collapsed in the street from hunger. I don't want to take the risk of you fainting or something in the middle of the prison complex."

"Oh, don't worry," the boy replied absently. "I would get Arra out before anything like that happened. Stim-pills, you know."

"It's not Arra I'm thinking about." Caeben reached across and ruffled the youngster's hair. "Somehow, kid, you've managed to make me care about you." He blinked suddenly, and his next words came softly and hesitantly. "You remind me . . . so much . . . of a little brother I had . . . before Alderaan . . ."

Jae softened. "I understand . . . and I'm sorry. All right, I give in. We'll both go. I can set the _Wind_ up with a slave remote so we can open or even fly her from the outside. But you're not leaving me here."

Caeben grinned. "Good enough. But don't even think about skipping breakfast and lunch like you did today ever again, okay? Arra and your brother don't need to be rescued tomorrow, after all."

"Okay." Jae nodded wearily and slid out of his chair. Time for a few hours of rest.

This time, when Caeben rubbed the azhali balm on Jae's back, the touch gave the boy almost no pain at all. It was hard to say which of the two was more happy about this.

X

Mynan Shelpion glared at the captain in irritation. "What is it now, Anlessic? Is it more about the overcrowding problem? I told you they can share cells."

"No, sir—I have good news."

The governor gave a surprised double take. "Really. About what?"

"Tallen, sir. He has confessed to being a Rebel. Apparently the interrogations have finally broken him."

"Has he divulged the names of his compatriots or the Rebel bases he has been to, not to mention their locations?"

The captain looked sheepish. "No sir."

Shelpion waved an exasperated hand. "Then he is not broken! It is not enough!"

The governor's fat shook as he stood. His cold hazel eyes became even icier. "Step up the interrogation process. A session each hour. Sooner or later he will break."

"Yes sir."

As Anlessic turned to go, Shelpion suddenly called him back. "And captain . . ."

The stormtrooper returned. "Yes sir?"

"Bear down harder on the other prisoners as well. I want confessions."

"Yes sir." Anlessic nodded.

The governor allowed himself a smile. "When we have enough confessions, the public executions will deter Crenellia from rebelling against my rule for a long, long time . . . ."


	8. You're staying right here

Jae sat down at the dataport with bleary eyes, blinking and yawning. Caeben had not yet wakened, and the boy didn't like to eat alone, so he would use this time to check the Imperial databanks for news. 

He had it almost immediately.

The young fixer stared at the screen in horror. Kyell was being hourly interrogated. Sooner or later he would be killed. And they were pounding on Arra too, though not nearly as hard.

Forget breakfast—an energy bar would have to do. Jae Tallen, fixer extraordinaire, had a lot to do. No more time for recuperation. The _Sylel Wind_ had to be ready that night. Jae would wait no longer.

Without further ado he tackled the power cells.

When Caeben dragged himself out of sleep three hours later, Jae was walking down the companionway past the pilot's cabin, carrying an armload of spare parts. Startled into alertness, the man jumped out of his bunk and into the companionway.

"Jae? What's going on?"

The boy explained in a few succinct sentences as he continued down the narrow hall, Caeben at his heels. "I've got the power cells up and running," he finished, "and the turbolaser and grenade launchers are in tip-top shape again, but the quad guns need work, and so do the sensors, main computer, cockpit control, and life support. I've got a busy day ahead. We're breaking them out _tonight."_

"All right, but wait a second." Caeben squeezed around the boy to block his way. Jae stopped walking and tossed him an irritated glare. "Kid, have you eaten? It won't do either of us any good for you to get sick again and pass out or something."

Jae decided not to mention the spell of dizziness he'd experienced while working on the _Wind's_ turbolaser. It was the fifth such he had endured since that first the day Arra had been captured. "I had a ration bar. I'm fine, really. Just let me get down to work."

"Are you sure you're all right?" Caeben continued talking as the boy ducked under his arm and continued down the companionway. The Sylelian followed. "You look a little pale."

Jae rolled his eyes. "You worry too much, Captain Matock."

"Caeben," his companion corrected. "C'mon, let me carry that stuff. I'm feeling useless and left out."

Jae paused with a sigh. "Fine." He handed over the spare arts. "You can be my errand-pilot again. Come on, let's get to the ventral quad gun."

Throughout the morning Caeben kept a scrupulous eye on the former urchin, watching for any sign of illness. But Jae carefully hid the occasional bouts of faintness and nausea he experienced. This was no time to baby himself. Kyell and Arra needed help.

Eventually Caeben caught his young friend's urgency, and both forgot all about stopping for lunch.

Late in the afternoon Caeben stood up from the cockpit control board and stretched. "You did it, Jae!" he exclaimed. "You've fixed the _Wind_ in only two days! I thought for sure such a massive job would take at least three weeks, but we're in business already!"

The boy looked up from his position on the floor, blue eyes large in his white face. "What's the control board show?"

"All systems green and good to go."

Jae let out a breath in relief and allowed a weary smile. Now all they needed to do was get Arra and Kyell out of the Imperial prison, get back to the ship, blast off, evade all pursuit, and find a safe place to hide. Shouldn't be too hard.

Yeah, right . . .

And that was his last thought as the dizziness returned tenfold and blackness quickly overcame him . . . .

X

Jae woke to the sound of cursing. His head spun in pain as he realized that he was lying flat on his back on the metal deck of the cockpit. Caeben was kneeling at the boy's side, savagely berating himself as rubbed at the youngster's hand.

"Caeben?" Jae moaned.

"Jae!" Relief in the pilot's voice transmuted into vehement rebuke. "Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well? We should have stopped hours ago, and taken time for lunch, too."

"We have to rescue Arra . . . and Kyell . . . . Let me up . . . ."

"Kid, there is absolutely no way that I'm letting you go to the prison complex. You're staying right here."

Jae's eyes cleared as he pushed away the nausea and weakness. He saw Caeben's face, gray eyes concerned to the point of anger. "You don't know how to hot-wire a gate or deactivate a guard droid. There is no way . . ."

"Well, you're just going to have to teach me. I'm telling you, you're staying right here."

Jae blinked, fully alert and awake now. "Caeben, let me sit up," he said with quiet firmness.

Caeben shot him a worried look, but did as he asked. The boy waited until the dizziness passed, then struggled to his feet, gripping the pilot's arm. At last he dropped into the chair in front of the dataport.

He pulled up a diagram of a gate mechanism, the kind the Imperial prison used. "Memorize this, and everything I'm going to tell you," he said softly. "We have to get them out tonight."

Caeben nodded and set to work studying the maze of wires while Jae told him what to do.

X

Kyell Tallen lay curled up in his cell, waves of pain washing over and through him. He didn't know how much longer he could hold on to his secrets or his sanity. The interrogations were growing steadily harder to bear. Lately he couldn't walk for half an hour afterwards. And then a half-hour after he could start moving again, they took him back to the interrogation room.

He didn't know how remarkable he was for holding on this long.

His Wookiee cell-mate, Arramylian, rumbled a question. Kyell had learned Wookiee while just a boy—he and his youngest brother. At the thought a wave of pain far more poignant than the physical ache swept through his heart.

"I'll be all right, Arra," he said. "I don't know how much longer I can stay quiet, though."

Do not give up, Arra said. I still believe we may be rescued. Your brother is a most exceptional child.

Kyell shuddered with heartache. After learning of his brother from the Wookiee, he had been unable to think of anything but Jae for nearly an entire day. To come so close, yet still be so far away . . .

"Thank you, Arra," he said, managing a painful smile. But he felt only despair. Sooner or later they would kill him, and he would never see his brother or the free stars again.


	9. Part 3: Breaking Away

Part 3: Breaking Away 

Caeben stole nearer to the gate, stealthily fingering the comlink clipped to his lapel. Jae was on the other end, ready to back him up at a moment's notice. The boy was sitting in the cockpit right now, keeping an eye on things and resting while he could.

The Imperial prison on the backwater little planet wasn't much more than minimum security, but it was enough to make the Sylelian pilot sweat. The back gate he was heading for was programmed to set off the alarm if a faulty code was used on it. He would have to be careful not to touch the numpad as he opened the little panel in the control box with the help of a small laser blade.

Caeben finally reached the gate carefully went through that first step, using the laser blade to cut through the panel, then lifting it off. He let out a breath in relief as the pasta-plate of wires under the panel was exposed. So far, so good.

The pilot successfully located one of the wires he needed and detached one end with delicate care. However, he couldn't find the other wire.

"Jae," he whispered. The response was immediate.

"Problem?" Jae was slightly muffled through the com, but there was no mistaking that warm young voice.

"I can't find the second wire."

"Too dangerous to pull at random. You'll set off the alarm. Use the viscam to let me get a look at the wires."

Caeben carefully transferred the homemade cam from his pocket to his hand and held it over the wires, switching it on as he did so. For a few moments the only sound on the com was Jae's rapid breathing.

"The yellow one across the bottom," the boy said at last. "Detach the end on the right and connect it to the wire you already found."

With a surgeon's delicacy Caeben obeyed. The gate unlocked with a muffled clank.

"Thanks, Jae."

"Don't mention it. Just make for that cell, and remember what to do in case of guard droids."

The pilot acknowledged his young friend's advice and slipped silently through the gate. He gently placed the cam in his pocket and slithered to his right along the fence, keeping in the shadows. The Crenellian moon shone through a haze above him, illuminating the manicured lawn between the fence and the garrison wall.

Jae sat back in his chair and tried to relax. There was no reason his plan should not work. The Empire had made a compromising mistake in placing Arra and Kyell in a window cell on the first floor, and they were about to find that out. And Caeben was carrying everything he could possibly need.

Still Jae could not dismiss the small, nagging doubt. What was he missing?

Caeben reached the portion of the wall across from the targeted window without difficulty. He glanced this way and that and shook his head in disbelief. Incredibly arrogant and sure of their security, the Imps hadn't even posted patrols on the grounds inside the fence.

The pilot looked in the direction Jae had told him to and spotted the security holocam above the window the targeted cell, slowly sweeping back and forth. While it was turned away from him, he bolted across the grass and knelt next to the opaque window, exultation rising within him. The plan was working beautifully! Before long Arra would be free! And Kyell Tallen too, of course.

Caeben drew the laser blade and was about to cut those ugly prison bars when he noticed tiny, almost invisible crimson threads criss-crossing the window in a diagonal diamond pattern. They covered the glass, about five centimeters high, three wide. The threads led to a small gray box.

The Sylelian held the viscam up to the box and whispered into the comlink. "Jae, is this what I think it is?"

"Bren fuses! An alarm!" came the fierce reply. "Space around us! So that's what I forgot! I should have known. Fusion reactor core!"

Despite the situation, Caeben could not help but be amused by the boy's unique brand of swearing. "Calm down, kid. Just tell me how to get around it."

"You can't." Jae's voice was intense and forceful. "You'll just have to cut through and get them out of there _quick._ I'll have the _Wind_ ready for launch by the time you get here."

The pilot gulped, his excitement suddenly gone. But this was it, and there was no way he was backing out now. He replaced the viscam and raised the laser blade, bracing himself for the klaxon of the alarm.


	10. Stimpills and Stormtoopers

It was even worse than he expected. Arra's furry head peered out the newly created hole, startled and alert. 

There was no time for greetings. "Get Tallen!" Caeben yelled above the alarm. "We've got to get outta here!"

Arra turned away and returned holding the limp Rebel in his arms. -He is newly returned from interrogation and unable to walk,- he roared.

"Give him one of these!" Caeben tossed a vial of stim-pills to the Wookiee. "We don't have any time!"

In moments Kyell was on his feet outside the window, shaken and pale but aware and ready. Arra slipped out the hole and the three refugees fled. As they ran Caeben handed each of his companions a blaster, wielding the laser blade himself. They would need them soon enough.

Sure enough, a G2RD guard droid barred their way, summoned by the wailing alarms. Caeben did not pause his flight as he made two quick thrusts through the machine, precisely where Jae had indicated. A centimeter off in any direction, and the laser blade would have rebounded off impenetrable armor. Instead the blade found its mark, sliding through metal, wire, and plastic. The droid fell over with a whimper as they raced on.

In another heart-pounding minute they reached the gate. Kyell and Caeben stopped short, almost sliding on the dew-wet grass. The gate was shut, a squad of stormtroopers waiting beyond it. And above the klaxon they heard another group of Imperial soldiers pounding up behind them.

Arra was not in the least deterred. Without pausing he tore the massive gate from its hinges and with a Wookiee roar threw it on the squad outside, crushing most. Kyell quickly picked off survivors with his blaster, then spun around and assisted Arra in laying down rear guard fire while Caeben zipped through the gate, then yelled for them to follow.

Most of the stormtroopers behind them were down now. The two escapees whirled and ran, following the Sylelian into the dark night streets of Rismyne.

Caeben Matock led them down the street and through several tortuous turnings and backtracks, always in the shadows. For half an hour they pursued a twisted escape route, endeavoring to throw off any pursuit. It was grueling for all three, but especially Kyell, weakened by the brutal treatment he'd received from his Imperial captors.

"Almost there," Caeben gasped. They could still hear the screaming of alarms in the distance.

Down another alley and through a back door, across an open patch of 'crete, up an open entry ramp, and they were inside the _Sylel Wind._ The moment they were aboard the ship lifted off on repulsorlift power. Caeben ran up the companionway to the cockpit, the others at his heels.

The stim-pill was beginning to wear off, and Kyell was several steps behind the others when they reached the cockpit. Jae was standing, having just vacated his seat for Caeben to take over.

The boy barely had time to turn around and catch a glimpse of Kyell's face before he was pulled into a fiercely joyful embrace.

"Jae!"

"Kyell, oh Kyell!"

The _Wind_ was starting into atmospheric turbulence. "Get into restraints," Caeben said tensely. "It might be a rough ride."

The Tallens did so quickly, joy subsiding into anxiousness. They weren't out of it yet. And sure enough, ten minutes later they were out of the atmosphere and in a trap.

X

Mynan Shelpion had been awakened by the alarms at the neighboring prison and garrison and quickly pulled his corpulent body out of bed, grabbing his robe of draki moth silk. What in the seven moons of Alanda—!

Shelpion sat at his desk and switched on his compad. "Captain Anlessic, what is the meaning of this racket?"

The trooper captain snapped a hasty salute. "Prison break in progress, sir. Two criminals have escaped."

The governor scowled. "Which criminals, captain?"

"Kyell Tallen and Arramylian the Wookiee, sir."

Shelpion cursed loudly and filthily, then calmed. "Bring them back. We'll make examples of them."

"Yes, sir."

The search progressed, or rather, didn't progress. Governor Shelpion dressed in his usual expensive tailored uniform and came over to supervise, and Anlessic realized that his neck was in the noose. If the fugitives were not captured, and soon, the captain would be demoted—or worse. Shelpion's cold hazel eyes held no mercy.

At last an aide brought Anlessic a report, and he took it straight to Shelpion. "News, sir."

"What?" the governor ground out.

"A launch from a docking pit in Rismyne, sir. The _Sylel Wind, _the ship the Wookiee mentioned in interrogation."

"Send out the TIEs and order them to herd it toward the moon. Have the moon base power up tractors." A mirthless smile crossed Shelpion's pudgy face. "They're as good as ours."

He settled back in his chair to await news of his prey's capture.


	11. Can't catch us

**A/N **Okay, this is the last post! I hope you aren't disappointed, my twenty-five or so readers who have followed this all the way through. Thank you! And thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially **Bookworm! **It really warmed my heart. Please do remember that this was the first fanfic I ever wrote, and my writing has improved a lot since then. Hope it satisfies you, anyway!

X

_TIE fighters!_ Caeben lit a blue streak in two languages, Kyell occasionally throwing in the colorful phrases he'd learned in the Rebellion while Jae sat stunned and speechless, mentally going through his list of mechanics' curses. An entire squadron of TIE fighters headed straight toward them.

"Arra, the quad guns," Captain Matock finally said urgently. "Take Tallen with you." The two disappeared. "Jae, stick with me and let's see what you can do with the turbolaser. The targeting is already on to those fighters—I'll handle the grenade launcher."

Kyell bolted down the ladder and into his seat, throwing on the restraints as he studied the controls. Over his shoulder and through two gravity field changes Arra was already blasting away, howling his pleasure with the upgraded laser gun.

Adrenaline kept Kyell from collapsing, but the stim-pill had completely worn off now. Pushing away the effects of all those interrogations, he grabbed the controls, lined up a TIE fighter, and blew it out of the sky. The quad gun was working at twice standard energy and repeating speed.

Kyell tracked another TIE, chasing it to the other side of the _Wind_, where Arra took care of it, roaring a battle song. Kyell continued triggering his quad gun again and again, and he managed to destroy three more fighters within the same number of minutes. Some of the TIEs' shots were still getting through, but the deflectors, working at three or four factors above standard, were handling it without a problem.

The young Rebel quickly jerked out four more shots at another TIE fighter, and the last one clipped its nearer wing. The fighter whirled away toward the planet, pulled by Crenellia's gravity well. Kyell Tallen wasted no time, but turned to another fighter coming toward the _Wind_. One of Caeben's grenades took it out, and Kyell realized with a shock that they had destroyed the entire squadron.

Meanwhile, Caeben's evasive action had kept Jae clutching he edge of the control board with one thin hand, fighting nausea brought on by whirling stars as he struggled to man the turbolaser. At last he got enough used to it to actually aim, only to discover that it was too late. There were no TIE fighters in sight.

"We got 'em all," Caeben said, grinning triumphantly. "You can relax."

But they were now in range of the moon base.

"Emperor's dark heart!" Caeben swore reflexively as the tractor beam locked onto them.

Jae sagged in his seat. It was all over. All his effort and planning and hard work was for nothing. He was afraid he would vomit.

Kyell appeared in the cockpit, pale and excited. "What's going on?"

"Tractor beam," Caeben said in despair. "It's all over."

"No, it can't be." Jae rallied his resources as Arra entered the door. "There _must_ be a way."

"Throw on all sublight power," Kyell said. "Full away. If you've got everything upgraded like Arra told me, it might be enough to break through. This is only a third-rate little garrison, after all."

Caeben threw all switches as far forward as they would go. The engines hummed with the gigantic amounts of energy coursing through them. The seconds ticked by as the four companions sat tensely and listened to the straining engines. Jae silently begged his soldering to hold together. Just a little bit longer, a little more power . . .

Kyell sat at the dataport and began piecing together a code. If this didn't work, perhaps a little virus in the Imperial databanks would at least exact revenge for the Empire's newest victims—them.

At the last second before the sublight engines overheated, they broke through and shot away from Crenellia and the moon. Instantly the planet hailed them.

"_Sylel Wind!"_ It was Mynan Shelpion. _"Sylel Wind,_ surrender or be destroyed!"

"Forget it, Imperial scum!" Caeben whooped. "We're gone and you can't catch us!"

With that, he pulled on the hyperdrive levers. They burst through in a kaleidoscope of stars, hurtling into the pearly safety of hyperspace. They were free.

Free as the wind.

X

A day later the _Sylel Wind_ drifted in space a few parsecs from Crenellia while her crew put a new course into the navicomp. Kyell Tallen was returning to the Rebellion with three new recruits and a marvelously upgraded freighter. Right now, though, the young Rebel lay in the med facility, resting after being treated for malnourishment and dehydration from his imprisonment.

"How are you doing, Kyell?"

Kyell opened his eyes to see Jae standing over him, thin face glowing. The young man smiled and sat up, pulling his little brother into another embrace. "I couldn't be better, Jae. It was worth it all to get you back."

Jae drew away to look at him. "Why _did_ you come back to Crenellia? There was no reason to."

"Oh, there was plenty of reason. I found some of Shelpion's files while slicing, and when I saw you might be alive. I could think of nothing but finding you. And now I have." Kyell reached out to touch a fading bruise on Jae's cheek. "I wish I could get my hands on that Kaltyk, though. Arra told me how he treated you. How are _you_ feeling?"

"I'm fine. Caeben and Arra have been taking good care of me while you were getting better. Arra says I won't need any more azhali treatments—my back is almost all the way healed."

"Good. And thanks for rescuing us, by the way. Caeben told me all you did, working yourself to the point of collapse."

"What else could I do?" Jae squeezed Kyell's arm. "You were in trouble, and I could help."

The young Rebel's face darkened. "And I couldn't do a thing." He brightened suddenly. "Except for that virus. While Caeben was whooping over the com I shot it to the Imperial databanks. Hopefully that's causing trouble for Shelpion."

Caeben's voice came over the ship com. "Brace for acceleration. We're about to re-enter hyperspace."

Immediately the ship lurched beneath them, throwing Jae into Kyell's arms and pressing both against the bulkhead for a moment. In moments the grav field compensated, and the brothers found themselves sitting on the bunk, their limbs still tangled together.

"Thanks for the warning," Kyell said dryly.

"We aim to please!" Caeben replied mischievously, then shut off the com.

Jae laughed and playfully struggled to escape as his brother held tight and tickled him. At last he pulled away and rested by Kyell on the bunk, flushed with exertion and breathing hard. Kyell put his arm around the boy's shoulders and held him close. They had both been alone and orphaned for too long. Jae leaned on his brother and found that the loneliness, his constant companion for over five years, was gone at last.

"Where are we going?" he asked, more to hear Kyell's voice than for any other reason.

"To join the Rebel starbase at the edge of the galaxy. After our escape from Hoth, we set up there." Kyell was silent awhile. "When I went to Crenellia I never thought I'd be bringing back two smugglers and their ship."

"Arra's decided that the only way to rescue Woothiramilla is to join the Rebellion, and Caeben has his own grievances against the Empire. They're decent beings—they wouldn't survive in a Imperial galaxy. Besides, Shelpion probably has bounties out on all four of us by now."

"No doubting that!" Kyell chuckled and hugged Jae's shoulders. "Come on, let's go give that Caeben Matock of piece of our minds for pulling that 'warning' on us."

Jae laughed and followed his brother out.

X

Governor Shelpion had demoted Anlessic and half the moon base personnel, but it was not enough. He wanted the _Wind_ back.

And he was not going to get it. Shelpion paced back and forth, muttering to himself. He was cut off from the galaxy, for a brand new virus was playing havoc in the computer system, and the techs were helpless against it.

The governor stood at his window and shook his fist at the stars, but he could not catch the _Wind_.

No one can, after all.

It is free.

(End)


End file.
